The roast profile affects your coffee’s aroma, flavor, and body. Your options in this regard include blonde, medium, and dark. Interestingly, each of them has unique characteristics that are attractive to different people.
The caffeine content is among the criteria to help you settle on your favorite. However, it’s tricky to judge if you don’t understand your java profile well.
Does blonde coffee have more caffeine? This article will give you the answer. So let’s dive in to learn more about your favorite drink!
What Is Blonde Coffee?
The word “blonde” refers to lighter coffee roasts. Light roasts are roasted for a shorter time than dark roasts. This process results in coffee in a lighter color, hence the name.
We roast coffee beans at high temperatures to push their flavor profile. But in a blond roast, the roasting time is short, giving a milder flavor.
Blonde coffee is famous for its bright color and crisp flavor. It also has a higher acid content. You can try this experience by ordering Veranda Blend at Starbucks or Original Blend at Dunkin’ Donuts.
Besides, this type of coffee has other names, such as half city, light city, cinnamon roast, and New England. These titles even make it more attractive to coffee lovers.
Does Blonde Coffee Have More Caffeine?
Yes. However, the gap in caffeine between blonde and dark coffee is minor. Only when you drink a big cup can you notice the difference.
In fact, the caffeine content depends on multiple factors, such as the coffee beans. Why does blonde roast have more caffeine? There are two reasons for it.
Roasting temperature
While roasting, the heat will cause chemical changes in the coffee grounds. Then, they will break down the caffeine module.
So, the longer you roast the beans, the more caffeine you lose. Blonde roast coffee, therefore, will be higher in caffeine because of its short roasting time.
The roasting temperature also plays a role here. To be more specific, caffeine will get lost when heated at 390°F.
Meanwhile, the blonde roast coffee temperature falls between 346 to 401°F. This range is lower than medium and dark roast. Consequently, blonde coffee has a higher caffeine level.
Brew method
The caffeine content in blonde coffee also depends on the brew method. For example, a standard cup of drip coffee with blond roast beans contains about 90 to 120 mg of caffeine.
However, an espresso shot with the same blonde coffee may only contain 50 to 60 mg of caffeine.
Is Blonde Roast Stronger?
No. Blonde roast coffee isn’t necessarily stronger than other roasting methods. To answer this question, we should first talk about “strong coffee.”
Although some people refer to coffee strength as the caffeine content, it’s about the coffee-to-water ratio.
The standard ratio is 1:15. It means that you need 15g of water to extract 1g of coffee. Hence, you have a strong coffee if the ratio is lower, like 1:12 or 1:10.
Meanwhile, blonde roast coffee has more caffeine because of the shorter roasting time. As a result, it won’t be stronger than medium and dark roasts.
Difference Between Multiple Types Of Roasts
There are three different types of coffee roasts. Hence, we will talk about the differences between them to help you discover more.
Blonde Roast | Medium Roast | Dark Roast | |
Roasting Temperature | 356-401°F | 410-435°F | 430-450°F |
Roasting Time | 5-7 minutes | 8-10 minutes | 11-13 minutes |
Flavor | Sweet, floral, and lemony | More balanced and sweeter | Bold and intense |
Acidity | Highest | Medium | Lowest |
Bitterness | Low | Low | Medium |
Color | Light brown (blonde) | Brown | Dark brown |
Sheen | Dull, dry, and no oily residue | Dull, dry, and no oily residue | Oily |
Brew Methods | French press, aero press, pour-over, cold brew | Espresso, cold brew, French press, aero press pour-over | French press, espresso, pour-over, moka pot |
Blonde roast
In this manner, you will roast your coffee in the shortest time at the lowest temperature. Then, the outcome will be a cup of lemony, floral java.
Besides, this method gives you acidic coffee. You can, therefore, use it for your French press, aero press, pour-over, or cold brew.
Medium roast
A medium roast will give you a more balanced and sweet coffee. You may also notice a lower acidic level in your beverage.
In addition, to achieve this effect, you need to roast coffee for about ten to eight minutes at 410 to 435°F. The resulting java will be brown and look dull.
This method is suitable for pour-over, aero press, French press, and cold brew like blonde coffee. Yet, you can also try espresso.
Dark roast
The dark roast requires you to roast your coffee at the highest temperature for the longest time. After that, you will get an intense and bold coffee.
Besides, your drink will have a nice dark brown color with the lowest acidity level. You may also notice an oily sheen in your coffee.
Dark roast is popular among coffee lovers because of its rich flavor. It even tastes better when used in your French press, espresso, pour-over, and moka pot.
If you want to learn more about the differences between these types of roasts, please check this video:
Which Coffee Roast Is Right For You?
We have discussed the differences between the three types of coffee roasts in the previous section. So which one do you love the most? If you can’t decide, consider these factors.
Personal preferences
Enjoying coffee is a subjective matter. Hence, you can find the best roast for your taste by experimenting with all.
For example, blonde roast coffee will be your favorite if you love a mild flavor. On the other hand, if you like bold, intense java, dark roast coffee will make your day.
Health benefits
There are many reports about the impact of coffee roast levels on our health. Nevertheless, people still have opposing opinions about this issue.
In fact, coffee may have potential health benefits and problems. For example, it can help reduce the risks of diabetes, liver diseases, and some type of cancer.
However, overconsumption will lead to adverse effects. You may experience sleeplessness or digestive issues as a result.
Additionally, the health effects may differ from person to person. If you are sensitive to caffeine, you should be more careful when drinking coffee.
As discussed earlier, blonde roast coffee often has a higher caffeine content. Thus, it would be better to avoid or reduce it.
Conclusion
Blonde roast coffee contains more caffeine because of the short roasting time. However, the difference in caffeine is minor.
Aside from the blonde roast, you can also try medium and dark coffee. They offer different experiences to enrich coffee culture.
Hopefully, this article can help you discover more about the coffee world. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. We will then get back to you.
Thank you for reading!
